Sheet-separator for paper-feeding machines.



R. HANAU. SHEET SEPABATOB. FOR PAPER FEEDING MAGHINES;

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 25, 1909.

Patented Mar.7, 1911.

q vi b-vl eooeoz I wuc mioc I @51 his Gamm R. HANAU. SHEET SEPARATOR FOB PAPER FEEDING MAGHINES. APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 25, 1909.

Patented Mar. 7, 1911.

' 4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

a 1 I Mkfim,3vvuewtoz. 533 1255 mum; g n' I R. HANAU. SHEET SEPARATOR FOB PAPER FEEDING MAGHINES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 25, 1909.

Patented Mar. 7, .1911.

' 4 snnn'ra-snnm 4.

wiioz sheets of paper than the lower plate.

accomplished not only b UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RUDOLPH HANAU, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOB TO THE AUTO PAPER FEEDER COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

SHEET-SEPARATOR FOR PAPER-FEEDING MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 7, 1911.

To all whom it concern:

Be it known that I, RUDOLPH HANAU, a British subject, residing in the borough of Manhattan, city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sheet- Separators for Paper-Feeding Machines, of which the fol-' lowing is a full, clear, and exact disclosure.

My invention relates to that class of paper feedm machines in which the sheets are taken %rom a pile one at a time and fed to other mechanism suchas a printing press or folding machine.

The separator itself comprises a fixed lower plate cooperating with a movable up-' per member, both of which have contacting surfaces with different frictional characteristics, the upper member usually having greater frlctional engagement with the The obj ect of my invention is'to generally improve and simplify the construction of paper feeding machines so that the same are not only more eflicient but more accurate in operation when running at high speeds.

By the. construction which I have devised the top sheet of-a pileof sheets being fed to a printing or folding. machineis moved positively and accurately at precisely the right time and its tendency to adhere to a lower sheet or sheets is obviated. This is a more positive and accurate movement 0 the movable fricwhile the tional feeding member but. also'by means for maintaining the lower sheets stationary upper sheet is being advanced.

Heretofore in the empio ment' of fixed or movable members having rictional surfaces etc has been. so arran ed or constructed that the saine amount of riction has been "produced over the entire length of the plate. When the to sheet of pa er 1s carried over 0nd s eet, the i the lower plate tends to cause the top sheet to come suddenly to a stop owing to the fact that the frictionof thelower member is applied all atone time. This tends to hinder the efficient action of the machine as ittends to causethe upper reciprocating member to slide on-the pa er.

One object o -'my ventiontherefore is to overcome this difiicul'ty'by providing a plate on which the friction is gradually increased from the time thesheet' enters thespace bethe edge of t e-secsudden retarding action of" light of the 'February 2nd, .1909, over tween the separating members reaches the opposite endthereof.

My invention also comprises certain improved mechanism for raising and lowering and reciprocating the upper separating member and also means 006 crating there-' with for holdin .,the second s eet of the pile until it and the other ower sheets more ositively in position while the upper sheet is eing advanced.

For a detailed description of the several .embodiments of my invention, reference may be had to the following specification and to the accompanying drawings forminga part thereof, in which Figure 1 is an elewation of the complete feeding mechanism, the lower separating .member being shown in cross-section; Fig.

2 is a plan view of one side thereof; Fig. 3 is. an elevation of the -se arating mechanism shown nearthe end' of a stroke as it advances toward the left; Fig. 4 is a plan view of the same; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the upper and lower feeding members, showing the relative position of the parts at the beginning of a stroke toward the left; Fig. 6 1s a longitudinal sectional view of the upper feeding member showing. its manner of attachment to the supporting rod or" shaft; Fig. 7 is a plan view of modified form of the lower block or pad; Fig. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view thereoffFi 9 an end view thereof showing the means. or attaching the pad to the; frame 'ofthe machine; Fig. '10 is a plan, vi'ewIof another modification, while ..Figs'. 11, 12 and 13 are respeca tively'a longitudinal sectional view a ransverse sectional view and amend view of'the m -1" I have not considered itnecessary to illustrate all the details ofthe paper feeding mechanism which receives the pet or from the separating mechanism, inasmuc will be readily understood by one in the art, especially when considered in the rior-patent issued on the app1i Kleldmann, '1 To'. 911,132, on

which the d'evicp of the present application, is an improvement.

Referring to the drawings, 1- indicates a as they cationv of skilled r i pile of paper to be fed to the feeding mecha- 4 nism and to printing-or'folding mechanism, and which is retained in position at its forward end by a plate or'platen'2, the upper end of which terminates in a horizontal shelf 3. The lower member or plate 4 of the separating device is attached to' the shelf 3 by means of a thumb-screw 5. As shown in Fig. 5, this plate' is provided with a contact surface 6 preferably of rubber which has a gradually increasing frictional resistance from the right end to the left end of the plate. This may beaccomplishedin several ways but in Fig. 5 I have indlcated the rubber surface as being harder at the right end of the plate than at the left end. This variation in the character of the rubber may be brought about during vulcaniz ing, the softer. part of the plate being vulcanized to aless degree than the harder part, or otherwise treated so as to produce the de sired result. It should be noted that the variation in the frictional resistance is accomplished by changing the character or hardness of the material of the surface, or in other words, by varying its coefiicient of friction.

In 7 to 13, inclusive I have shown twoother'modes of accomplishing this result. In Figs' 7 to 9 inclusive the surface of the plate isdivided into three triangular portions 7, Sand 9. The triangular portion" 9'is of softer material than the triangular portions 7 and Sand gradually diminishes 111 width as it approaches theright hand end of the plate. This arrangement gives sub- .stantially the same effect as with a single plate having its surface as a whole treated so as to produce the gradually increasing frictional resistance. Figs. 10'to 13-show the plate as consisting of two parts 10 and 11', the latter being placed upon the former and offering less frictional resistance than the art 10. In this form the triangular portlou 11 may be a plate of metal or similar material superposed on the plate 10 and having a less frictional resistance. It is obvious that the relative parts for varying frictional resistance from one end of the plate to the other may be arranged in various ways, and. I have illustrated the arrangements shown simpl as examples thereof.

. member in the form of a ru Re errin 'now to Figs. 1 and 2, the nu-' meral 12 indicates the u peer separating r covered roll which is carried ata the ends of two forwardly' projecting arms 13. The arms 13 are "pivoted on a horizontal shaft 14, which is the su portin pivoteil'a .pa'fi' of contacting with the top sheet thereby maintaining the pawl 17 out of engagement cease:

to allow the arm 19 to drop from the forward edge of a sheet and thereby cause the 7 roll to stop rotating. The friction of the roll will then advance the paper until the end of the stroke of the separating mechanism has beenreaohed. The shaft 14 also has pivoted thereon a rearwardly rojecting arm 20, and said arm is connected with the shaft 14 through a sprin 21 which is rigidly attached to the sha t' 14 by the fixed collars 22, the central portion of the spring restingl upon the arm 20 as indicated in Fig. 2. T is spring 21 always has a tension tendin' to rotate the shaft 14. so as to force the r01 12 downward and keep it in en agebeing fedthrough the machine; The arm. 20 is preferably composed of two telescoping parts so that its length may be adjusted according to the width of dliferent sheets of paper, said parts being held in their relative position by means of a set screw 23. The axle of the roll 12 supports two rearward roll 56 preferably of heavy metal. This roll is for the purpose of producing a pressure through the top sheet upon the second and subsequent sheets to aidin preventing them from sliding forward with the top sheet. In Figs. 5 and 6 I have shown the details of the upper part of the separating mechanism including an auxiliary means by which'the roll 12 is forced into engagement with the paper. This comprises a compression spring 50, one end of which bears upon the bar .51, while the upper end thereof bears against a" set screw '54 in the end of the arm 52 fixed on the sleeve 53. This -al lows tension of the compression spring 50 to be adjusted to any desired degree inde- 1S carrie by the shaft 14.80 as to be slidable longitudinally thereon. This is accomplished by providing a-key-way 57 in the 60 and is retained in position. by means of a set screw 61. passing through the sleeve 53. The 'bushihg 60 is provided with extensions at its end as indicated at 62 which are for the purpose of-supporting the ends of the arms 13 pivotally in position. This arrang'ement allows the upper separating roll 12 to be adjusted to any desired position transversely of the'machine and at the same duced thereby. -A. slot 63 in the eyeo on the sleeve.53"anddetpniiiesithe arc of; movement of the rol-l tgfgbout the axis-of with the ratchet wheel 18 until the roll 12, has advanced far. enough toward the left be omitted,- in which case'thexarms 13 are extending arms 55 which carry a weighted pendentl of the spr ng 21. The sleeve 53 shaft 14 in which a key 58 is seated. The 5 key 58 also engages a slot 59 in thebushing the shaft 14. If .desiredfdioweivergthis auxiliary tension device including the spring 50, bar 51,arm-' 52 and screw 545 may rigidly attached to the sleeve 53. The presment with the top sheet of the pile of 5 eets time allows the requisite pressure to be'fprothe ;arm 13 .cotiperates with a limitingpin 645 was sure of'the separating member 12 is then determined by the" tension of the spring 21 alone. The rear end of the arm carries a roller which has a central reduced portion 24, and twoenlarged end ortions 25., In the path of the motion of t e enlarged portions 25 ofjthe roller is a sheet 26 of rubber or similar flexible frictional'material, which is centrally connected with a horizontal arm 27 pivotedon a rod 28 at the rearof the machine. The roll 25 and the flexible sheet 26 constitute anadd-itional means for holding all except the top sheet of paper in position and-act in a way similar to-theroll 56 except that the roll 25 acts. through the flexible sheet 26 instead of through the top sheet of paper as does the roll56. The roller 25 travels :back and forth upon the sheet of flexible material 26 and the distance between the contacting point of the roller 25 and the contacting point of the roll 12 is so adjusted that the roller 25 followsyand will always be just beyond-the rear edgeof the top sheet, and-since the. arm'20 is depressed by the spring 21 the roller 25 will cause the sheet 26 to bear upon all of the sheets of the paper except the top one, which will be free to. move under the influence of the advancing 'roll 12. In this manner pressure is brought to bear upon all of the sheets except the one which isto be advanced to the printing or folding mechanism. The sheet 26' being stationary, it will not. tend to cause the second sheet to move as would theroll 25 if it contacted directly with the paper. This is clearly illustrated in Figs. 3 and .4.

It should be noted that the centralreduced portion 24' ofthe roller. may engage and travel on the arm 27. This is for the purpose of preventing said roll from dropping below the edge of the paer when its reciprocating motion exten s' to a point toward the right beyond the rear edge of the pile. A transverse reciprocatingmotion is given to the shaft 14 by means of a connecting rod 29 pivotally carried thereon, the op posite end of which is connected with the crank 30 mounted on the shaft 31. The outer end of the shaft 31 carries a sprocket Wheel 32 over which passes the sprocket chain 33. This sprocket chain. also passes over two other sprocket wheels 34 and 35.- The shaft 36 on which the sprocket wheel 34 is mounted carries a cam 37 which cooperates with the follower 38 mounted on the end of a lever 39. The lever 39" is mounted on a transverse shaft 40 which carries the arTns'40 to support the roller 41, which forms the pressure roller for causing the sheets to be advanced from the separating mechanism. The driving roller 42 is carried on the shaft 43 which is driven by a pulley or similar power transmitting device (notshown). The sprocket wheel-35 is attached to the shaft 43 thereby driving the sprocket chain 33 and rotates continuously.

The roller 12 must be loweredand raised in order to. engage and disengage the top sheetof-the pile of sheets, and I have provided the following'mec'hanism for accomplishing this result. The shaft 14 carries two, laterally ext-ending arms 44 and 45.

The end of the arm 44 is located beneath a I set screw 46carriedon the connecting rod 29, while the end of; the-arm 45 carries a set screw 47 adapted to engage a lug47.

carried by the slidable bearing 15. When the crank 30 is rotating in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1, the connecting rod 29 will have a transverse "motion downward from the position of the crankpin shown andv when the crank has reached.

a horizontal position theend of the set screw 46 will engage with the arm 44 and since this arm is rigidly connected with the shaft 14, it-will raise the arms 13. of the roll 12, so thatthe latter will be. disengaged from the paper. this will occur at theend of a stroke toward the left and since the motion of the crank It should be noted that pin in a vertical direction is greatest at this point, the raising of the roll 12 will be accomplishedvery positively and quickly. Thereafter the arm 44 will continue to be depressed until the crank has rotated 180 at which point the arm 44 moves upward and the roll 12 downward onto the paper to begin another stroke toward the left. Since the pin 63 limits the motion of the roll 12 as regards the shaft 14, the limit of downward motion of the roll 12 may be regulated by the set screw 47 on the arm 45. It should also be noted that at this point'the crank pin of the crank 30 is moving upward and has the greatest vertical velocity so that the roll 12 is quickly and positively brought into engagement with the paper, while at the'same time the horizontal reciprocation '7 of the'pa'rts, has ceased. This reciprocating motion and the engagement of the roll 12 with thepaper at the beginning of a stroke and its disengagement at the end of a stroke will be continued as the-crank 30 continues torotate.

. Having thus described these forms of my invention, what I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a sheet feeding mechanism, a reciprocating separatingmember, means for reciprocating said 'member, a horizontally fixed. sheet of flexible material adapted to rest onthe pile of sheets being treated, a pressure'device adapted to rest upon said sheet of flexible material and means for reciprocating said pressure device.

2. In a sheet feeding mechanism, a reciprocating separating member, means for reciprocating said member, afollowing roll, means for reciprocating the same with the rocating separating member, means for reciprocatingv said member, a following 'roll" connected with said reciprocating means, a sheet of flexible material adapted to rest uponv the pile ofsheetsbeing treated, a support connected with said sheet of flexible material, 'said following roll being adapted to rest upon said sheet of flexible'material during; a portion, of its stroke and upon said support for the remainder of its stroke. 4. In a sheet separating mechanism, a recipr'ocating separating member, means for reciprocating said member comprising a reciprocating carriage, a crank, a connecting rod between said carriage and crank, and an arm adaptedto be depressed by the transverse motion of said connecting rod for raising laid reciprocating member."

5. In a sheet separating mechanism, a reciprocating separating member, means for reciprocating said member comprising a reciprocating carriage, a, connecting rod pivoted thereto, a crank for driving said connecting rod, a stop carried. by said connecting rod, and an arm connected with said separating member and adapted to engage said stop to.

raise said member during a stroke in one direction.

6. In a sheet separating mechanism, a reciprocating separating member, means for reciprocating said member comprising a re,- ciprocating carriage, a connecting rodpivoted thereto, a crank for driving said connecting rod, a stop carried by saidconnecting rod, an arm connected with'said separating memberand adapted to be engaged by said stop to raise said separating member, asecond arm connected with said sep- 7. In a sheet separating mechanism, a re ciprocating separating member, a carriage reiprocating said carriage, a rearwardly fih ezite'pding arin 'p'iyofed'to said 'barriage, a a outer end of said arm and adapted *to produce pressureQn-the pile of sheets, and

aspring'; connected with said arm and said member for forcing them downward.

9. In a sheet separating mechanism, a re- 3. Ina sheet feeding mechanism, a'reciparating member and a stop adapted to en-- to which said member is attached, means for member and sai ciprocating carriage, an arm pivoted there- 'reciprocatlng and raising and lowering said connected'between said reci rocating means for producing a downwar pressure on the former and a supplementary adjustable spring between said member an saidreciprocating means. i

11. In a sheet separating mechanism, a remember, a sprin therefor, means for reciprocating said carriage and for raising and lowering said member, a spring carried by said carriage for producing a downward pressure on said member and a supplementary adjustable spring connected with said? member for regulating its ressure.

12. In a s eet separating mechanism, a reciprocating separating member, a carriage therefor, means for reciprocating said carriage and for raising and lowering said member, a rearwardly extending arm pivoted to said carriage, a pressure roll at its outer end, a spring connected between said carriage and said arm for forcing said memher and said roll downward, and an auxiliary adjustable s ringconnectedwith said member for regu ating its pressure. p

13. In a sheet separating mechanism, a reciprocating separating member, a transverse shaft, means for reciprocating said shaft longitudinally of the machine and for oscillating the same, a rearwardly extendin arm pivoted on said'shaft, a roll at the en of said arm,a spring connected between said shaft and arm, arms pivoted on said shaft and on which saidseparating member is carried, and an auxiliary adjustable spring for regulating the pressure of said member. I

14. In a sheet separating mechanism, a reciprocating separatin member adapted to have fixed contact wit% a sheet, and a freely rotatable following roll connected therewith and adapted to rest on the paper immediately in the rear of said separating member.

v 15. In a sheet separating mechanism, a re ciprocating separatin member adapted ,to have fixed contactlwit asheet, and a freely rotatable following roll carriedithereby: and

adapted to rest on the paper immediately in the rear of said separating member.

, 16. In a sheet separating mechanism, a

separating member having a frictional surface varying, progressively in frictional resistance from one end to the other.

'ciprocating separating member, a carriage I 17. In a sheet separating mechanism, a

separating member having a frictional surface which'increases in frictional resistance from oneend toward the other.

18. In a sheet separating mechanism, a separating member having a contact surface of gradually increasing frictional resistance from one and toward the other. i

19. In a sheet separating mechanism, a stationar separating member, having a contact sur ace of graduallv increasing frictional resistance.

20. In a sheet separating mechanism, a stationar separating member having acontact sur ace of gradually increasing frictional' resistance, and a reciprocating member having a stronger contact with a sheet than that .of said stationary member.

21. In a sheet separating mechanism, a stationary separator having a frictional surface of gradually increasing frictional re-' slst-ance, and a reciprocating member having a contact surface which has a frictional resistance greater than that of said stationary separator.

22. Ina sheet separating mechanism, a reciprocating separating -member,- -means for reciprocating said member comprising a reciprocating carriage, guides for said carriage arranged parallel with the sheets, a connecting rod pivoted to said carriage, a crank for driving said connecting rod, and

an arm connected with said separatin member and adapted to contact with sai rod to raise sald member during a stroke in one direction.

ciprocating separating member, means for reciprocating said member comprising a reciprocating carriage, a connecting rod pivoted thereto, a crank for driving said. connecting rod, an arm connected with said separating member and adapted to be moved by said'rod to raise said separating member, a second arm connected with said separating member, and a stop adapted to engage said second arm to limit the downward motion of said separating member.

' 24. In a sheet separating mechanism, a re-.

ciprocating separating member, a carriage therefor, an oscillating part thereon, means for reciprocating said carriage, a spring connected With said part for producing a downward pressure thereon, and asupplementary adjustable spring between said separating member and said part.

25. In a sheet separating mechanism, a reciprocating separating member, a carriage therefor, an oscillating part thereon, means for reciprocating said carriage,

said carriage for producing a rotating tension: on said part,=and a supplementary ad= ju'stable spring connected between said member and said part for regulating its pressure. 1

Signed this 24th day of June, 1909.

RUDOLPH HANAU.

Witnesses:

H. RICHARD WoBsE, EDWARD W. VAILL, ,J r.

means for oscillating said part, a spring carried by 

